memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v6-第21部分

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month　of　her　pregnancy。

　　　　　＇This　refers　to　the　first　son　of　Louis　and　of　Hortense；　Napoleon
　　　　　Charles；　the　intended　successor　of　Napoleon；　who　was　born　1802；　died
　　　　　1807；　elder　brother　of　Napoleon　III。＇

I　have　already　mentioned　that　he　disliked　to　see　women　in　that　situation；
and　above　all　could　not　endure　to　see　them　dance。　　Yet；　in　spite　of　this
antipathy；　he　himself　asked　Hortense　to　dance　at　the　ball　at　Malmaison。
She　at　first　declined；　but　Bonaparte　was　exceedingly　importunate；　and
said　to　her　in　a　tone　of　good…humoured　persuasion；　〃Do；　I　beg　of　you；
I　particularly　wish　to　see　you　dance。　　Come；　stand　up；　to　oblige　me。〃
Hortense　at　last　consented。　　The　motive　for　this　extraordinary　request　I
will　now　explain。

On　the　day　after　the　ball　one　of　the　newspapers　contained　some　verses　on
Hortense's　dancing。　　She　was　exceedingly　annoyed　at　this；　and　when　the
paper　arrived　at　Malmaison　she　expressed；　displeasure　at　it。　　Even
allowing　for　all　the　facility　of　our　newspaper　wits；　she　was　nevertheless
at　a　loss　to　understand　how　the　lines　could　have　been　written　and　printed
respecting　a　circumstance　which　only　occurred　the　night　before。
Bonaparte　smiled；　and　gave　her　no　distinct　answer。　　When　Hortense　knew
that　I　was　alone　in　the　cabinet　she　came　in　and　asked　me　to　explain　the
matter；　and　seeing　no　reason　to　conceal　the　truth；　I　told　her　that　the
lines　had　been　written　by　Bonaparte's　direction　before　the　ball　took
place。　　I　added；　what　indeed　was　the　fact；　that　the　ball　had　been
prepared　for　the　verses；　and　that　it　was　only　for　the　appropriateness　of
their　application　that　the　First　Consul　had　pressed　her　to　dance。　　He
adopted　this　strange　contrivance　for　contradicting　an　article　which
appeared　in　an　English　journal　announcing　that　Hortense　was　delivered。
Bonaparte　was　highly　indignant　at　that　premature　announcement；　which　he
clearly　saw　was　made　for　the　sole　purpose　of　giving　credit　to　the
scandalous　rumours　of　his　imputed　connection　with　Hortense。　　Such　were
the　petty　machinations　which　not　unfrequently　found　their　place　in　a　mind
in　which　the　grandest　schemes　were　revolving。







End　of　The　Memoirs　of　Napoleon；　V6；　1803
by　Louis　Antoine　Fauvelet　de　Bourrienne